South Korean actor Kim Soo Hyun publicly admitted to a past romantic relationship with the late actress Kim Sae Ron during a tearful press conference held on March 31 in Seoul, while forcefully denying allegations that he dated her as a minor or contributed to her death. The 45-minute statement marked the first time the Queen of Tears star addressed the scandal that has dominated headlines in recent weeks.
"I did not date the deceased when she was a minor. And it's not true that she made a tragic decision because I turned away from her or because my agency pressured her financially," Kim stated, repeatedly referring to Kim Sae Ron only as "the deceased."
The actor, who appeared visibly emotional, acknowledged that the two were in a relationship "for about a year, five years ago - four years before Queen of Tears aired." He expressed regret over denying the relationship when the late actress uploaded a photo of them together, calling himself a "coward" for prioritizing his career and public image over honesty.
"Every time something about our private relationship was exposed, I thought, 'Let's just talk about it all tomorrow, let's end this hellish situation myself.' But each time, I hesitated," Kim said. "I believe that's the burden I must carry for choosing this life as Kim Soo Hyun. If people say my decision was cowardly or selfish, I'll accept that."
The press conference came amid intensifying public scrutiny following claims from individuals identified as Kim Sae Ron's relatives and online commentators that the actor emotionally manipulated her and contributed to her financial distress prior to her death. In response, Kim Soo Hyun's legal team announced criminal and civil legal action.
"To clarify the facts, we have decided to pursue both criminal complaints and civil lawsuits against the involved parties," his attorney stated. A criminal complaint was filed with Gangnam Police against individuals who claimed to be relatives of the deceased, including one woman who identified herself as an aunt, as well as against the operators of the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute. A ₩12 billion (approximately $9 million) civil lawsuit was also filed with the Seoul Central District Court for damages.
Kim argued that alleged evidence provided by the family-including text messages and audio recordings-was either misleading or manipulated. He claimed that key messages cited as proof were inconsistent in dates and details, stating that the supposed 2016 KakaoTalk messages included a photo from 2019.
"These KakaoTalk messages contain too many inaccuracies to have been written by the deceased," he said. "The age difference is wrong. The name and duration of her contract with the agency are also incorrect. And the deceased never did casting or visual directing work at our agency-she only worked as an actress."
Kim revealed that he had submitted the disputed messages for scientific analysis, which concluded that the person writing the 2016 messages was not the same as the 2018 version, further casting doubt on the authenticity of the documents used against him.
"I'll accept all criticism for my choices. But that doesn't make falsehoods into truth," Kim said. "Just like I submitted my KakaoTalk messages for verification, I urge the family to submit all their so-called evidence to the authorities for a proper investigation."
While he maintained his innocence regarding the most serious allegations, Kim accepted responsibility for having misled fans about the nature of the past relationship. "I received more love than I ever deserved. I didn't have much to begin with, but I ended up with so much to protect," he said. "No matter how much of a public mask I wear as a celebrity, that is something I cannot do. I will take full responsibility for the things I did. I will not take responsibility for things I did not do."
The press conference, held without a Q&A session, drew swift criticism online. Social media comments mocked the format as overly rehearsed and insufficiently transparent, with many accusing Kim of attempting to elicit public sympathy. "If there's no Q&A, is that even a press conference?" one user wrote. Others demanded his retirement, while some questioned the sincerity of his emotional display.
Kim Soo Hyun and his agency, Gold Medalist, have committed to pursuing legal redress while vowing to combat what they claim is a campaign of defamation and false testimony. "We kindly request your patience and understanding," his attorney stated, declining to take questions due to the ongoing investigation.
